Shaq Moore scored in the first minute and the U.S. men’s national team held off Canada 1-0 to win Group B of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Kansas City, Kansas on Sunday.
Moore’s goal 20 seconds into the match was the fastest in USMNT history. It was also the first international goal in the defender’s eighth match.
Matt Turner of the New England Revolution made three saves, including a 22-yard strike by Lucas Cavallini in the 93rd minute to help break the Canadians’ program-record eight game winning streak.
Canada and the USMNT had already qualified before the match for the quarterfinals with identical records (2-0-0, 6 points). The goal differential was also equal at plus-6, but the Canadians had scored one more goal so all they needed was a tie to win a Gold Cup group for the first time.
The U.S. has topped their group 15 times in the 16 Gold Cups, only losing the group stage to Panama in 2011.
The Americans and Canadians will play July 25 against Costa Rica or Jamaica, dependent on the Group C results on Tuesday.
The Americans got off to a great start before a sellout crowd at Children’s Mercy Park.
Kellyn Acosta put Sebastian Lletget through on the left side of the penalty area and he whipped a cross to the middle of the box for Moore, who plays for Spain’s Tenerife and was the lone non-Major League Soccer starter for the Americans.
Both teams lost players to undisclosed injuries in the first half. U.S. defender and captain Walker Zimmerman came off for Donovan Pines of D.C. United in the 15th minute. Zimmerman, the 2020 MLS Defender of the Year for Nashville SC, has 17 international appearances compared to the two for Pines.
Forward Ayo Akinola exited the Canadian lineup in the 25th minute and was replaced by Jonathan Osorio. The other forward, Cyle Larin, was injured in 53rd minute, prompting the entry of Cavallini.
–Field Level MEdia